Tuesday, Jul. 01, 2008

July 1 in Merced history

July 1, 1958

ATWATER CITY BUDGET UP; TAX RATE SAME:

Atwater City Council last night adopted a $418,468 budget for fiscal 1958-59, up $40,096 over last year’s figure, but kept the same $1.07 per $100 of assessed value tax rate. The new fiscal year opened today.

Most taxpayers here were surprised at the move, since city officials had predicted approval of the half million dollar “sewer bond issue” last fall would mean a seven-cent per $100 tax hike. The municipal sewage treatment plan is now under construction at the southeast tip to Atwater.

Councilman Harry Neves advocated determining exactly what the city attorney’s legal fees would be in the suit pressed by a group of farmers owning property adjacent to the new sewage plant prior to adopting the budget.

Mayor E. H. (Ern) Buller asserted the suit might “drag out” indefinitely. The council set aside $5,000 for legal fees in the new budget, in addition to the $2,100 paid the city attorney for routine legal counsel during the year. The C. Ray Robinson law offices act as city attorney.

July 1, 1983

UNUSUAL WINTER BECOMES HISTORY:

As a new weather year begins, the past winter’s record-breaking rainfall in Merced and elsewhere in Northern California becomes history. July 1 annually marks the start of a new weather season nationally for record-keeping purposes.

In the season past, as everyone must be aware by now, Merced recorded 26.16 inches of rain. That was more than double the normal of 12 inches and well ahead of the previous record of 23.62 set in 1957-58.

With a Merced record rainfall in the books, a mark for sub-100 degree summer weather locally is in sight. Merced’s temperature has not gotten past the 95 degree mark this calendar year, which although not a record, is fairly unusual.

The relatively cold spring and early summer has resulted in highs of 95 degrees twice, on May 27 and June 16. The last time the local temperature reached the century mark was Sept. 8, when an Indian Summer high of 101 was recorded. Last year, the thermometer did not reach 100 until mid-summer when 102 degrees was recorded July 15. And in 1969, Mercedians were treated to sub-100 degree marks until July 11, according to Merced Irrigation District records.

July 1, 1998

COUNTY HANDS OUT BIG RAISES:

For years, Merced County has been losing good employees to other agencies because of low salaries.

On Tuesday, Merced surpervisors took steps to stem the talent hemorrhage by unanimously awarding most department heads and high-level managers their first raise in almost eight years.

“This is a red-letter day,” County Administrator Greg Wellman declared after the board voted 5-0 to accept a management audit, recommending the raises, and several related personnel items.

One of those companion measures was acceptance of a four-year contract with the Merced County Sheriff’s Employees Association Unit 2. The “front-loaded” contract, which runs through 2002, gives sheriff’s deputies, deputy marshals and other front-line personnel a 12 percent pay hike, all in the first 18 months of the deal.

“This is the first time in recent memory where we have had all eight bargaining units under long-term contracts at the same time,” Wellman said, who wasn't included in the audit and didn’t get a raise Tuesday.

Raising managers’ pay at the same time is unprecedented, according to Wellman, who has worked for the county in various capacities for 31 years, the last 18 months as its chief administrator. The increases come on the heels of an audit of job classifications and salary relationships for more than 345 unrepresented management employees on the payroll.